Folding stand.



J. O. SCHMIDT. FOLDING STAND.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1912.

Patented May 20, 1913.

J INVENTOR,

BY g 2 ATTORNEY JACOB O. SCHMIDT, 0F SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN.

FOLDING STAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 250, 1913 Application filed September 10, 1912. Serial No. 719,576.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J A0013 0'. SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and State of Wisconsin, have invented anew and useful Folding Stand, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in folding stands, and the object is to provide a simple device of this character, which may be utilized for various purposes and especially for holding flower pots adjacent to a window, or in a conservatory, for the purpose of exposing the flowers to the sun, and which when not in use, may be readily folded up and stored away in a small space.

Another object is to provide a device that may be used to advantage as a step ladder, where only a slight elevation is to be reached by the user, and in this connection it is especially useful to paper hangers, and interior furnishers, etc., who need to be elevated but a few feet to be in close touch with their Work.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the. drawing forming apart of this specification, and specifically pointed out in the claims hereto annexed; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, may be resorted to, within the scope of the said claims, without departing from the spirit .or sacrificing any of the advantages oftheinvention. I I

In the drawing in which like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved folding stand set up and in readiness for use. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sect-ion thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail View, illustrating the locking means for the folding legs.

The device includes apair of front in-- clined legs 1 preferably composed of front and rear portions 2 and 3 for the purpose of strengthening the same to. Withstand the strain imposed thereupon when in use as a step ladder. This reinforcing may be accomplished by sawing the legs out of one stout piece of timber, or the said legs may be composed of two separate pieces suitably secured together. Coacting with these front legs 1 are a pair of rear legs 1 slightly inclined in an opposite direction to the legs 1, and pivoted at their upper ends, as by bolts 5, to a pair of horizontally disposed cleats 6 and 7 placed, respectively, on the inside and the outside of said pairs of front and rear legs 1 and 4c, the legs 1 being secured to the cleats .by suitable fastening means, such as screws, bolts or nails 8 so disposed as to render the front pair of legs immovable with relation to the top cleats 6 and 7. Secured to the top side of these cleats, as by screws 9, or other suitable fastening means, is the top board 10 constituting a platform for supporting flower pots or any other object which it is desired to. display. When, however, the device is to be used as a step ladder, the top board forms the top step thereof, and as the said top board or platform is of considerable length, will enable the user to freely move to one side or the other and thereby cover more territory than can be done with the use of an ordinary step ladder. In this connection the utility of the device for paper hangers, plasterers, interior decorators, etc., will readily be apparent.

In order tobind the rear swinging legs termediate the'ends thereof, preferably ad jaoent their lower ends As an additional strengthening means, inclined crossed bars 12 are provided, suitably fastened at their inner, lower ends tothe brace or bar 11 and at their upper, outer ends to the top portions of the rear swinging legs 4.

In order to maintain the rear movable legs in their pro-per position relative to the front rigid legs, and to prevent their moving or slipping and thereby causing the collapsing of the device when subjected to the weight of the user, struts 13 are provided. These struts are pivoted intermediate their ends to the inner sides of the front legs by bolts 14 and extend rearwardly beyond the rear legs and are adapted to be held in locked engagement therewith by means to be hereinafter described.

The struts 13. extend forwardly and beyond the front legs and are connected there at by a board or platform 15, suitably secured on the top edges thereof and comprising a lower step in the case of the device being used as a step ladder, or which may be conveniently used as a lower shelf for the display of flower pots, etc., when put to such use.

The front edges of the rear legs 4 are provided with spring locking members 16 composed of suitable resilient metallic rods passin through said rear legs and held by nuts 1( on the rear edges thereof and having inwardly directed spring portions 18 passing through eyes 1 9 and terminating in horizontal arms 20 to engage over the top edges of the-struts 13 when the same are swung downwardly on their pivots 14 to prevent the step or platform 15 from dropping under any weight that may be subjected to the same.

The horizontal arms 20 pass through eyes 20 and are provided at their outer ends with eyes 2O constituting hand-holds in order to facilitate the manipulation of the spring portions 18 of the locking members when it is desired to fold the device.

The struts 13 have notches 21 provided on their lower edges, adjacent their rear ends, to engage the horizontal portions 22 of sup ports 23 consisting of stout rod construction. The top portions 23 pass outwardly through the rear legs 4; and are threaded and rovided with nuts 24 to prevent their dislodgment. The members 23 are then bent at their lower portions toward the legs t, passing down through eyes 25 and the terminals are thence bent outwardly through perforations in the legs 4 there receiving nuts 26' to further strengthen them.

struts 13, and likewise, by reason of their engagement with the notches 21 of the struts mitting the struts 13 to be swung upwardly and the rear legs forwardly against the front legs, when the device will assume a compact form that will occupy small space and may.

be readily stored away.

In addition to the uses heretofore mentioned, to which the invention might be applied, it is also admirably adapted for use as an ironing board when the top platform or board 12 can be used for ironing purposes and the lower board or platform to hold the clothes to be ironed or the basket containing the same.

It will be seen that the inwardly extending inclined spring portions 18 of the locking members will readily press outwardly when the struts 13 are pressed downwardly upon the supports 22 in unfolding the device and will automatically spring inwardly over the same to maintain the parts in locked position.

It will be noted that the supports 23 are provided on the inner sides of the rear legs, or that side across which the struts are caused to sweep in their folding movement. The locking members or catches 18 are mounted on the front sides of the rear legs and have a yielding movement at right angles to the movement of the struts, and they engage with the upper faces of the struts in advance of the engagement of the struts with their supports.

What is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising an upper step or shelf, rigid front legs, swinging rear legs, connecting struts pivoted intermediate their ends at an intermediate point of the front legs and extending out therefrom and carrying a lower step or shelf on their extended outer ends, said struts having their rear ends fitting between the rear legs in the normal position of the lower step or shelf, rigid horizontal supports provided on the rear legs and on which supports the rear ends of the struts are caused to rest, and locking members provided on the rear legs in the path of movement of the struts and adapted to engage with the upper face of the struts when the latter are seated upon the supports, said locking members serving to hold the struts firmly upon the supports.

'2. The combination of a top step or shelf,

' fixed front legs, and swinging rear legs The horizontal supports 22 prevent anydownward movement of the rear ends of the therefor, with a lower folding step or shelf comprising normally horizontally disposed struts pivoted intermediate their ends to the front fixed legs and provided on the lower edges of their rear ends with notches, horizontally disposed supports carried by the rear swinging legs to engage the said notches when the struts are swung downwardly, and locking members mounted on the rear legs and adapted to spring outwardly upon such downward movement of the struts and to spring inwardly and engage over the same to maintain the struts in engagement with the said supports, the outer ends of the struts being extended beyond the front legs,

, and a lower shelf mounted on said extended outer ends.

'3. The combmation of a top step or shelf, fixed front legs, and swlngmg rear legs therefor, with a lower folding step or shelf comprising normally horizontally disposed struts pivoted intermediate their ends to the front fixed legs and provided on the lower edges of their rear ends with notches, rigid horizontally disposed supports carried by the inner sides of the rear legs and engaging with said notches, and spring locking catches carried by the front sides of the rear legs and having overhanging portions located in yond the front legs, and a lower shelf mounted on said extended outer ends so as to extend over the pivot of the struts.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing the path of movement of the struts when the latter are swung downwardly upon the supports and also at right angles to said struts and in advance of the supports, said locking catches being adapted to spring outwardly by the engagement of the struts therewith and to spring inwardly and engage over the upper edges of the struts to maintain said struts in engagement with the supports, the i0 outer ends of the struts being extended beture in the presence of two witnesses.

JACOB O. SCHMIDT. Witnesses:

D. T. PHALEN, EDWARD F. OEHLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. i

as my own, I have hereto affixed my signa- ,j 

